New Ulm weekly review., 1887-09-28
the estimated value Of the land reserved for
school purposes is $25 ,OOO. 900 at present

the estimated value Of the land reserved for,
school purposes is $25, ,OOO. 900 at present
THE EXPERIENCE OF A SETTLER
seeking a homestead is interesting as well
as illustrative of our recent methods OF sub
DUNG wild land and establishing perma-
nent settlers thereon The intended settler
is carried to the West in an Immigrant
sleeper, Pullman car, or common coach, as
the length of his purse permits. He lands
at the seat of the United States local Lane
Office, and promptly applies to the register OF
that Office for tract of vacant governor.
land. If he has no particular locality in
view, the register quickly opens book OF
township plats and turns to a township all
or partly vacant He picks up blank plat
and marks the tracts vacant, giving the
number of the township and range He
briefly recites the character of the soil, the
topography. the present settlement, if any,
the distance from a RAILROAD, or river, the ex-
istence of streams of water. wood and coal.
He advises the newcomer how he can find the
township in question and possibly gives him
a note to some neighborlng pioneer who will
gladly pilot him to the exact spot. When in
the township he can readily, with the paper
plat, find the corners of one or more sections.
The marks on the stakes correspond with
the numbers on the plat, and a minimum
amount of gun1ption will enable him to pick
out his quarter section 16O acres) it he likes
the lay of the land Returning to the land
office he shows his plat, with the quarter
marked that he has decided to take. He
signs an application describing the land, and
subscrlbes to an affidavit that he takes it for
his own use and has never made prior
entry under the homestead laws He pays
for this entry $14, and secures receipt &C
knowledging the payment and describing
the land entered. Ii ready to go to work.
the claimant proceeds to build house; if
poor,
BE BUILDS A SHACK
A shack" is the mississippi name for
cabin. If the location occurs in the spring
the homesteader breaks (plows) ten, thirty
or forty acres of the virgin prairie, and puts
in sod crop of grain and garden truck.
This crop is not a paying one as rule. II
is, however, sufficient to feed the family fol
six months or year. The following season
the broken ground Is in condition for good
crop, and barring the usual misfortunes OF
farmers experience, he reaps good harvest
He begins the third year with the idea OF
making something putting himself on bis
feet After five years residence and cultl-
vation the settler, with two witnesses. can
appear at the land Office and prove the facts.
He pays 81 more fees, and in due time gets
a patent for his land. Conclusively the land
system OF the United States is powerful in
fluence in the institutional life of the West
ern states and territories. 1t must found
happy homes. make good citizens and spread
partial liking for the general government
MORE LAND WANTED.
Only eighty three years ago the Louisiana
purchase. nearly eight hundred million acres,
was added to the public domain. 1t, as well
as the older Northwest territory, is practi-
cally taxed up. At most there is only
fraction of it left II very few millions OF
people, before the age of steam invention
can increase and subdue so much territory
at such a rate, what will G0,OOO.OOO OF peo-
pie, starting with steam and electricity and
25O,OOO inventions at their command, dc
the coming century. Prof John Fiske
places our population at the end Of the
twentieth century between six and seven
hundred million Clearly Nordhoff is right
What we want for the future is not. more
people but more land. He doesn't tell his
son, however, where we are to find it He
says it is not in populated countries, In
Cuba, San Domingo or Mexico, and leave,
the lad in the dark. He might have tolc
him it was north of the forty-nlnth parable
and west of Lake Winnipeg and Hudsoni
bay. add this note from the veteran consu
in the service of the United States at W1nni
peg: "The Canadian province of Manitoba
and the districts of Assinaboine, Saskatche
wan, Alberta and Athabasca, extending in {
general northwestern direction from thu
Red River valley to the Peace river in lati
tude go deg. constitutes in the language O.
your note geographically and practically
country like Northern Dakota and Northerl
Montana and equally capable of supporting
a like class of people My best generaliza
ton and illustration of this statement vii
be to group
TWO GRAND DIVISIONS OF TERRITORY
separated by the international boundar,
line and resting eastward on the great IN
land lakes of the St Lawrence, and west
ward on the Rocky mountains refer tt
the American states of Michigan, Wisconsin
Minnesota, Dakota and Montana, and th,
Canadian provinces, present and prospect
i've, OF Manitoba, Assinaboine, Saskutche
wan, Alberta anc Athabasca This imm enst
region northwest of Detroit and Chicago
capable of the highest possible development
of modern civilization, is divided almos
equally between The United States and Can
ada. annex a comparative statement
area in square miles:
Michigan. .. 56,451 Manitoba. .l25, ,39t
Wisconsin. 49,. 50, ,924| |Assinaboine. =. 90, 90,
Minnesota. 49, 49, 531 Saskatchewan liza. .OOi
Dakota. 100, 932t Alberta 100. .O0t
Montana $500. .145, 776I IAthabasca- .122. Coz
r.4.1 bo, q, r4., r-c %,
Here then is 1 ,O47 .OO4 square miles of tn,
north temperate zone Of North America